Cupric Canyon Capital has announced the appointment of Johan Ferreira as Head of African Operations and Managing Director of Khoemacau Copper Mining. Ferreira will lead the development of the Khoemacau copper/silver project in the Kalahari Copperbelt of north-west Botswana with construction beginning towards the end of this year.

Initial production from the new mine will average 50 000 tonnes of copper and 1,4 Moz of silver per year over a mine life that exceeds 25 years. Future expansions are expected to increase annual production to over 100 000 tonnes of copper and 3 Moz of silver.

Ferreira began his mining career with Anglo American in 1986, and from 2005 to 2011 he was General Manager of the Moab Khotsong and Great Noligwa Gold Mines. Subsequently, he was appointed Senior Vice President, South Africa Operations for AngloGold Ashanti. In 2014, he accepted an opportunity in Ghana with Newmont Mining Corporation as Regional Group Executive Operations and was soon promoted to Regional Senior Vice President – Africa Region, assuming executive responsibility for that region. While in Ghana, he was President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines and a Director of the American Chamber of Commerce. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) degree from the University of Pretoria and several other professional certifications and diplomas.

Dennis Bartlett, Cupric’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are excited to welcome Johan to the Cupric team. He is a highly experienced and accomplished mining executive who brings the underground mining expertise necessary to transition the project from studies to mine development and operations. Johan is assuming the role previously held by Sam Rasmussen, who completed his three-year contract in December. Sam was instrumental in leading our efforts to complete not only the resource drilling campaign and feasibility study, but also to obtain the Khoemacau mining licence. We wish Sam all the best in his future endeavours.”

The new mine will be a mechanised underground operation at the company’s flagship Zone 5 deposit. Ore will be treated at the existing Boseto process plant which is located 35 km to the north-west.

US-based Cupric was formed in 2010 with the goal of acquiring undeveloped copper assets with a known resource. The management of Cupric consists of former executive, technical, financial, and operational leadership of major mining companies, including Phelps Dodge Corporation (and its successor, Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc).